I think Kubica is the target now. Let's see what happens with Renault.

If Renault stays fo 2010, do you guys remember a situation, that a driver signs a contract, and then changes a team, before the start of the season?I don't remember such things, and I don't believe in Renaults pullout neither, so... Mercedes - Rosberg-Sutil/Heidfeld, a top team with solid medium drivers :/

So Mercedes (GER) has signed Rosberg (GER) and will sign either Heidfeld (GER) or Sutil (GER) who in a year or two will likely be replaced by Vettel (GER). But they don't want to appear overly German?

Well, as apoka mentioned there are no or better alternatives right now. Kimi apparently wanted McLaren or nothing and got the latter, Kubica is at Renault... who else is left on the market and proven to be better than Heidfeld/Sutil? Trulli, Heikki, Kobayashi, Villeneuve (starting to like that idea... :>) ? Sure, unlike Heidfeld and Sutil Heikki and Trulli won a race each... or inherited the win 'cause the leading driver dropped by technical failure and J.P.M. respectively.

Well, as apoka mentioned there are no or better alternatives right now. Kimi apparently wanted McLaren or nothing and got the latter, Kubica is at Renault... who else is left on the market and proven to be better than Heidfeld/Sutil? Trulli, Heikki, Kobayashi, Villeneuve ...

Quite. The quotes says they want the best drivers, whatever the nationality, and frankly I see no better options than NH or AS right now. Personally I'd just give it to NH on the basis of experience and consistency, with a view to replacing him in a year or two. Look at the alternatives: Trulli can't race; HK is a nonentity, Koba is cool but needs a year in someone else's car; JVi is a fossil, PdlR is, well, PdlR

Fry also backed away from speculation that, with Nico Rosberg almost certain to race with Mercedes GP in 2010, the Stuttgart carmaker is pushing for another German to be his teammate."I can confidently say that that is totally incorrect," Fry said. "Clearly a German driver would be nice for them (Mercedes) but we don't need two German drivers, that's not the intent."Mercedes' Norbert Haug confirmed: "We definitely do not want to have a pure German team. It's an international team and we want to have the best drivers in the car."Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche said Mercedes would not "dictate" the identity of the lineup to team boss Ross Brawn."We will talk and listen to what he wants to do and typically agree," he said.

Clearly, being German has and will hurt Heidfeld.Haug said (to German TV this morning) that Mercedes is trying to find him a seat.Haug also said that with 6 Germans in F1 next year,is would be nice to have one in every MB customer team. He implied Sutil at FI.He also said that after Monsa, it seemed clear that Kovi was not going to keep his seat at McLaren. They (MB) tried to influence Ron and MW to consider Rosberg.McLaren would have none of it. They fully appreciated McLaren's wish to have Kimi back. They then arranged the driver swop (RB - NR) with Williams. When the Kimi negotiations at McLaren failed, he suggested they look at Heidfeld, which they did. In the end, Haug understands that Jenson with his #1 will have more marketing value for McLaren.The interviewer pointed out that McLaren has had multiple opportunities to hire a German driver and has never done so. Schumacher, HHF, Heidfeld, Vettel, Rosberg, Glock and Sutil were all available throughout the Mercedes relationship. Was there a reason for this? Haug felt is is just coincidence. Was McLaren's failure to hire a German driver one of the reasons for the disengagement (Trennung) with McLaren? Deffinately NOT.The interviewer then suggested that Qadbak might get an MB engine for Heidfeld and Haug laughed and said that stranger things have happened in F1.

My take is that they will NOT hire Heidfeld BECAUSE he is German. I also believe the next move will be to wait for the Renault decision, then go for Kubica.I'm hard pressed to find a worthwhile non-German driver that's still available.

I wonder if Kimi's McLaren or nothing is all talk if Mercedes really want him. He said he wants to be back in 2011 but what does that mean? There aren't any seats left except Webber's place at Red Bull. By then Red Bull might have lost their upper hand on rest of the grid.

i don't think it will be a good decision, I dno't believe mercedes gp will have a championship winning car next season and many share that belief. Moreover I'd stick with what Kimi already announced that is a sabbatical.

If Mercedes has really set up with Raikkonen, it was the masterstroke of the the millenium by Norby.

If it turns out to be true not only the BB will collapse, some members will commit suicide Fat Norb is a huge Kimi fan(boy), so was Zetsche, but right now I'd assign a very very low probability to this happening. If anything, TS and Kulta would have picked it up first due to their close ties to Kimi.

I wonder if Kimi's McLaren or nothing is all talk if Mercedes really want him. He said he wants to be back in 2011 but what does that mean? There aren't any seats left except Webber's place at Red Bull. By then Red Bull might have lost their upper hand on rest of the grid.

there'll also be a seat going at ferrari and renault and possibly merc.

Well, I'm not surprised.Anybody really believed that Mercedes' dreamteam would be Rosberg + Heidi or Sutil?

Again...yesterday at Kimi´s OF I read that they (globo TV) said that Kimi will go to Campos I think they have missed the statement of the Robertsons And I thought that now that Kimi is gone all the rumours will have an end?

Again...yestday at Kimi´s OF I read that they (globo TV) said that Kimi will go to Campos I think they have missed the statement of the Robertsons And I thought that now that Kimi is gone all the rumours to have an end?

I wonder if once all seats are filled the "Kimi to..." stories will finally stop at least until the next summer

He knows quite a bunch of people. Yesterday night he confirmed Button at Mclaren, but that's something everybody knew at that time.

And he didn't write some stuff. He said that live on an afternoon program, so I'd give him a bit of credit.

I wouldn't be suprised at all if we see Kimi at Mercedes.

If TS/Kulta drop a hint within a day or two, then I'll start buying. Right now it seems to sensationalist to be true. Haug did mention that he hopes to get the drivers' situation sorted out soon but he was reluctant to give a specific timeframe - a couple of weeks or year end at the worst. Makes me wonder what they are negotiating about and with who, Heidfeld is a beggar who cannot be a chooser, same for Heikki...

People like Haug, Dennis, Brawn, Todt, Whitmarsh are much more intelligent than all of us on this BB. They are more than excellent business men and that's why they head top F1 teams and have earned millions of $ throughout their careers.

So for them it doesn't really matter if AMuS or TS is reporting sth, they are really doing their business game and playing their cards.

Earlier today I thought Mclaren had clearly played a masterstroke on Mercedes, but now Norby and Ross prove how good they are and how they can make something out of nowhere, something that was already totally out of our minds.

So, do not cry, do not panic, don't let your fanboyism upflow here... Just let it be and wait for the confirmation that shall follow sooner rather than later.

People like Haug, Dennis, Brawn, Todt, Whitmarsh are much more intelligent than all of us on this BB. They are more than excellent business men and that's why they head top F1 teams and have earned millions of $ throughout their careers.

So for them it doesn't really matter if AMuS or TS is reporting sth, they are really doing their business game and playing their cards.

Earlier today I thought Mclaren had clearly played a masterstroke on Mercedes, but now Norby and Ross prove how good they are and how they can make something out of nowhere, something that was already totally out of our minds.

So, do not cry, do not panic, don't let your fanboyism upflow here... Just let it be and wait for the confirmation that shall follow sooner rather than later.

Should it happen, even as a Kimi fan, I think McLaren would end up having the last laugh. -Brawn car is under-developed for 2010. Macca could easily make a rocketship.-Macca get #1 and #2 cars. With two WDCs. British WDCs. A PR whore's wet dream, shall we say. -Mercedes are like the rebound chick. Plus they'd have to pay the salary Macca didn't want to. Again, something to 'brag' about...

[...] Makes me wonder what they are negotiating about and with who, Heidfeld is a beggar who cannot be a chooser, same for Heikki...

ye... so it's someone like Kubica, Vettel, M. Schumacher, Kimi... all of them appear to be unlikely. But I can't think of anyone else with whom negotiation might take that long.The likes of Sutil, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, di Resta or Trulli aren't that hard to get - I think.

The likes of Sutil, Heidfeld, Kovalainen, di Resta or Trulli aren't that hard to get - I think.

Yeah, those guys will just ask "Where do I sign?"

I bet Mercedes is pissed at Button and McLaren but if they think to get back at McLaren by signing Kimi (unless he wins the WDC that is but then according to other reports he will be moving to Red Bull in 2011 This silly season is getting on my nerves, seriously

-Macca get #1 and #2 cars. With two WDCs. British WDCs. A PR whore's wet dream, shall we say.

Shame that it does nothing for thir global banding. They'll have a very strong geocentric image in the British Isles and maybe in the odd Commonwealth state, but they're going to struggle if a sponsor is looking to break into new markets.

Trulli: "I didn't know about NASCAR until Juan Pablo Montoya made his move, the world has changed and everyone is looking at different Series. I haven't signed with anyone yet and I've talked to teams. My door is open right now."

Should it happen, even as a Kimi fan, I think McLaren would end up having the last laugh. -Brawn car is under-developed for 2010. Macca could easily make a rocketship.-Macca get #1 and #2 cars. With two WDCs. British WDCs. A PR whore's wet dream, shall we say. -Mercedes are like the rebound chick. Plus they'd have to pay the salary Macca didn't want to. Again, something to 'brag' about...

Well I thought the same cause Brawn really struggle since midseason.

But:- they lose not much and mainly because of driver factor (imagine Kimi, Fred and Lois in Brawn car for a second - they would fight for wins right to the end);- Ross said they early begin development next year car that's why they started struggle, also problems with integration Mercedes engine;- Mercedes wants win titles or there are no sense to built own team;- next year it won't be dramatic rule changing and BGP is very strong aerodynamically, about tyres management;- Ross Brawn management factor.

And with top driver like Kimi they no doubt will fights for win, perhaps for title(s).